Introduction: Dospat is a sleepy hill town with a large The Miraculous bridges (1450 m a.s.l.) The Rodopi Mountains are situated in Pomak (Slav Muslim) population. are 2 unique natural rock bridges (about the oldest part of the Balkans and Yagodina Cave is among the longest 40 m. high) covering an area of 40,3 boast some of the loveliest coniferous caves in Bulgaria (more than 10 000m hectares. woods in the country. The landscape mapped so far), considered to be one of Bachkovo Monastery is the second is gentle and rounded, consisting of the most beautiful in Europe with its largest Bulgarian monastery. high ridges and deep river valleys with outstanding stalactites, stalagmites, Plovdiv (160 m a.s.l.) ranks as the gorges intermingling with river basins columns, ponds and cave pearls in them. second Bulgarian city in population and and valleys. Here one can also find The Devil's Throat Cave has its name size. The old town of Plovdiv is one of 70% of the world minerals, as well as from the fact that if you let something flow the oldest European towns some 600 caves. Flora and fauna in the cave river it never comes out again. contemporary to Troy and Mikena. contain species that have become There is a cave waterfall - one of the extinct in other European countries. In highest underground waterfalls in Europe, Itinerary: contrast with our tour of the Balkan 42 m high. Mountains, this tour will take you even Trigrad (1250 m a.s.l.) is a small Day 1. Arrive at Sofia or Plovdiv Airport higher, to around 2,000 m, or 6561 ft. mountain village picturesquely situated in and spend the night in Sofia or Plovdiv Most of the mileage is done on the central part of the Rodopi Mountains. depending on your arrival time. Please asphalt main roads, with relatively little Devin (716 m a.s.l.) The town is mostly note that the starting point of the trip is traffic, that are well-suited for biking. famous for its mineral springs known from between these two cities so you may Along them cyclists can see some old- ancient times. meet the rest of the group on the style means of transportation: wooden Shiroka Luka (1060 m a.s.l.) Numerous morning of Day 2 prior to Stage 1 of the carts pulled by horses, donkeys or houses preserving the typical Rodopean tour. cows. You may also meet some architecture, speech, songs and customs nomadic gypsies, picking mushrooms of local people have given the village the Day 2. Transfer (1,15hrs) to the starting and berries in the woods, as well as status of an architectural, ethnographic point of the tour, some 10 km (6.2 miles) some local Muslim inhabitants and folklore reserve. away from Kostenets (1,000 m, or 3,280 growing tobacco and potatoes, or Smolyan (1000 m a.s.l.) is the biggest ft). The road travels deep into Rila herds of sheep or goats coming down town around, an administrative center of Mountains with the first village of from the mountain at the end of the the region. It is famous for the biggest Sestrimo appearing on the way. Further day. Planetarium with astronomic observatory up you continue to Belmeken dam on the Balkans and the beautiful natural through old coniferous woods, before Special highlights: surrounding including the famous Smolyan reaching the peak at 2,000 m, or 6561 Rodopi Mountains: The Rodopi lakes. ft. (the highest point of the whole tour). Mountains (highest peak: Golyam Cross forest situated near the The last few kilometers are quite steep Perelik (2191m a.s.l.) are the oldest picturesque village of Borovo it is a holy so you may prefer to travel in the mountains on the Balkan Peninsula. place with lots of chapels and healing supporting vehicle for this section. After Velingrad (800 m a.s.l.) is the largest streams, where according legends the 2 km (1.2 miles) of steep descent, the Bulgarian spa resort famous for its holy crucifixion cross has been brought blue eye of the Belmeken dam will healing hot mineral waters. and then buried. appear. The track then travels around Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 1 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected] the banks of the dam, offering superb drink – Tsigov Chark and Shiroka Poliana views of the Rodopi Mountains. Then views over the Belmeken waters and dam. you reach the Smolyan Lakes region, the surrounding peaks. The Bulgarian Cycling specifics: where the supporting vehicle can either national sports team complex is Distance: 71 km (44.1 miles); time: 5 hrs; take you on or you can keep cycling to situated here. Passing through the uphill cycling: 600m (1,968 ft); downhill town of Smolyan(1,000 m), where you Yundola Pass meadows (the cycling: 700 m (2,296 ft) will stay overnight. Free time for a walk geographical border between Rila and /breakfast, dinner/ around the town. Rodopi Mountains), a nice descent will Throughout the stage the traffic is fairly take you to the edge of the town of Day 4. After breakfast the tour resumes in light and the road is in fairly good Velingrad (71 km, or 44.1 miles from the centre of Dospat (1,200 m, or 3,937 ft), condition. There are two places the start). Some 4 km (2.4 miles) where the track climbs steeply for the next throughout the stage where you can find further on and you will reach the hotel 2 km (1.2 miles). After a short while, the a restaurant/café or grocery store – (situated at 745 m, or 2,444 ft), where road begins to descend, before continuing Shiroka Luka and Stoykite village. we stay overnight in a hotel with hot its undulations through pastoral areas, a Cycling specifics: mineral water swimming pool. Roman bridge, spruce woods and potato Distance: 66 km (41 miles); time: 3.5 From the beginning of the stage down fields. The first bigger settlement along the hrs; uphill cycling: 950 m (3116 ft); to the Yundola countryside the traffic road is the town of Borino (16 km, or 9.9 downhill cycling: 800 m (2,624 ft) is very slow; you may see only a few miles, from the start), primarily inhabited /breakfast, dinner/ cars on the way. From Yundola by Muslims. This route affords beautiful onwards the traffic gets a little heavier. views over the central parts of the Rodopi Day 6. In the morning we set off from The road condition is good, with only Mountains, with the cycling accompanied the hotel in Smolyan in direction to the few short sections of potholes. There by a natural phenomenon – the historic place Rozhen (1400m) are two spots on the stage where you Buynovsko Gorge, which also acts as the upstream Byala river passing by the can find a restaurant/café or grocery gate to our next stop, the Yagodina Cave. small village of Sokolovtsi. We continue store – the aforementioned complex Be prepared for the low temperature climbing up to 1700m and a big by the Belmeken dam and in the inside the cave (6o C) during our cave picturesque meadow with junction which Iundola countryside. tour, which will take about an hour. marks the beginning of a gentle downhill Cycling specifics: Afterwards you can have lunch in the ride in direction to Laki town through Distance: 76 km (47.2 miles); time: restaurant just opposite the cave, beyond “Momina voda” protected area. Nerby is 5,30 hrs; uphill cycling: 500m (1,640 the river. The road now continues to the picturesque village of Borovo and ft); downhill cycling: 1,300 m (4,265 ft) Trigrad village, passing between the 250 the famous religious place with chapels /breakfast, dinner/ m (820 ft) high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge and healing springs – Krastova Gora (1,450 m, or 4,757 ft) Here another sinister (Cross forest) . Overnight in Borovo. Day 3. Today's cycling begins at the cave – The Devil's Throat, housing one of Possible extension (8km) to Belitsa hotel in Velingrad (745 m, or 2,444 ft). the highest underground waterfalls in natural rock bridge. You pass through the picturesque Europe – awaits you. A kilometre or so Road conditions are good exept for landscape of Tsigov Chark further on you will find the village of some short sections before Laki town. countryside (with hotels, holiday huts Trigrad, where you will stay overnight in a Traffic is very slow and you bike on and restaurants) and then by the small family hotel (1,200 m, or 3,937 ft). isolated road. You can have lunch in Batak dam. Leaving Batak, the road The traffic on this stage remains very light Laki town or Borovo village. Preparing a starts rising steeply for the next 10 throughout. The road condition is good, lunch box the day before is also an km, or 6.2 miles, until reaching the bar one section – several kilometers of option. highest point of the stage – the downhill cycling before the Roman bridge. Cycling specifics: countryside around Kartela (1,700 m, There are two spots on the stage where Distance: 39 km (24.2 miles); time: or 5,577 ft). From this point on the you can find a restaurant/café or grocery around 3,30 hrs; uphill cycling: 700 m road descends for most of the way. store – Borino village and the Yagodina (1,312 ft); downhill cycling: 1300 m Some 8 km (4.9 miles) further on, the Cave.